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The House on Harbor Hill
The House on Harbor Hill
The House on Harbor Hill
Audiobook11 hours

The House on Harbor Hill

Written by Shelly Stratton

Narrated by Susan Spain

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

She's generous, kind, and compassionate-yet Delilah Grey will forever be an outcast in the small seaside town of Camden Beach, Maryland. She takes in women shattered by abuse, poverty, illness, or events beyond their control. But no matter how far she's come or how many she's helped find their way back, there is no safe place for Delilah. Acquitted of her rich husband's mysterious death decades ago, she lives in her beautiful mansion consumed by secrets-and mistakes she feels she can never atone for.. Until she takes in desperate mother Tracey Walters and her two young children. Tracey won't say where she's from or what sent her into hiding. But her determination and refusal to give up reminds Delilah of the spirited, hopeful girl she once was-and the dreams she still cherishes. As Tracey takes tentative steps to rebuild her life, her unexpected attraction to Delilah's handsome, troubled caretaker inadvertently brings Delilah face to face with the past. And when Tracey's worst fears come brutally calling, both women must find even more strength to confront truths they can no longer ignore-and at last learn how to truly be free. Resonant, moving, and unforgettable, The House on Harbor Hill paints an unforgettable portrait of two women struggling to forgive themselves, take a chance on change, and challenge each other to finally live.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 3, 2018
ISBN9781501987335
Author

Shelly Stratton

Shelly Stratton is an award-winning journalist who earned her degree at the University of Maryland, College Park. Another Woman’s Man, her novel written under the pseudonym Shelly Ellis, was nominated for a 2014 NAACP Image Award. A film buff and amateur painter, she lives with her husband not far from Washington, D.C. Visit her online at www.shellyellisbooks.com.

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Reviews for The House on Harbor Hill

Rating: 4.1249999875 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    The House on Harbor Hill by Shelly StrattonSource: NetgalleyMy Rating: 5/5 starsI had half a review written when I realized it wasn’t anywhere close to expressing how I feel about this book. Here’s the breakdown: Plot #1: The House on Harbor Hill opens with an aging Delilah Grey doing what she has spent the vast majority of her life doing, extending a helping hand to a woman in need. Delilah’s own past has made her keenly aware of the women around her who need her help, and once she’s spotted someone, she extends an invitation to her home. Delilah genuinely wants to help these women and once they have come to her home, they are welcome to stay for as long as they need. To many, Delilah is a good Samaritan, a selfless woman always willing to give more than she receives, but to those with long memories, Delilah is something quite different. Plot #2: Tracey is a woman on the run, a very scared woman whose purpose in life is to survive and protect her children. After a year on the run, Tracey is out of money and desperate for help. She’s heard the rumors about Delilah Grey, but sanctuary is what Delilah is offering and Tracey is desperate. Delilah’s home is spacious, beautiful, and most importantly, safe. There is space for her kids, a room of her own, and the opportunity for Tracey to find her feet, heal, and make plans for she and her kids’ future. Delilah asks for little in return and Tracey and her children quickly settle in and become a part of life at the house on Harbor Hill. Characters: This book is full of rich, developed characters who run the gamut of qualities and characteristics. From the truly vile and reprehensible to the selfless and kind, this book has someone for everyone. What nearly every character has in common, is being broken to some greater or lesser degree. The brokenness of each character informs his or her actions, and some of those actions are magnificent in their level of awful. The degree of brokenness also deepens and enriches each character which always makes for a better read. Transitions and Pacing: The House on Harbor Hill opens in the present with Delilah taking in Tracey and her children. As with so many things in life, the past informs the present, and to understand Delilah and her desire to help women in danger, you have to understand her own miserable past. As such, after an extensive opening section, the book transitions to the past which helps the reader understand how Delilah came to be the woman she is today. The entire book unfolds at a steady pace, but has moments, very dramatic and scary moments when the scenes unfold at breakneck speed. There aren’t any slow spots, only steady pacing broken up by crazy moments.The Bottom Line: I can’t say I loved this book because it deals with some very serious and horrifying issues, but I do love how those issues are handled. The House on Harbor Hill is a purely fictional read, but it deals with real-world issues we are, sadly far too familiar with in this day and age. Stratton has created a cast of characters, especially the women who are, at times, weak and vulnerable, and, ultimately, strong and determined. There is excellent evolution of character, especially in Delilah and Tracey whose stories are so very similar though separated by decades. The transitions from the past to the present is one of my favorite writing devices and only served to enhance this story. The pacing is perfect for the story, and I was involved and interested from start to finish.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    The House on Harbor Hill by Shelly Stratton is set in Camden Beach, Maryland in September of 2016. Delilah Grey offers help to those who she believes needs it. Tracey Walters arrives home to find an invitation on her door from Delilah that states her door is always open. Tracey and her two kids left her abusive husband, Paul after he hit Caleb and she worries that Paul will track them down. When Tracey is given one month to vacate her apartment and with no other options, she takes Delilah up on her offer. Delilah helps others to help alleviate her guilt. She has secrets that have haunted her all these years (in more than one way). A man keeps showing up offering to buy Harbor Hill, but Delilah has no intention of selling (despite the man’s outrageous offers). Aidan Dominguez grew up at Harbor Hill thanks to the generosity of Delilah. He returned four years ago and now works as the handyman/landscaper. Aidan is not prepared for his attraction to the newest resident. He came to Harbor Hill to escape his own troubles and is not ready to love again. Tracey settles in to the new home and starts to move forward, but then the past comes knocking. Unfortunately, that is not the only threat to the residents of Harbor Hill. What will happen to Aidan, Tracey and Delilah? The House on Harbor Hill sounded like a great book. Mystery, intrigue, suspense, romance, a cute kid and some heartfelt moments. It is a story about people finding forgiveness and peace, so they can have a second chance at life. The writing was satisfactory, but the pacing was varied. There are three different stories happening in The House on Harbor Hill. It switches between them throughout the story, so we get the backstory on all three characters. We go from 2016 to 1968 to get Delilah’s story (my favorite character in the book). Delilah has the voice of her dead husband talking to her (criticizing, taunting). I was never sure if it was a ghost or just in her head. The House on Harbor Hill ended predictably. I knew how their stories would play out after reading just a small part of the book. I did feel that The House on Harbor Hill needed an epilogue to adequately wrap up the book. I was left with a few unanswered questions at the end of the book. The House on Harbor Hill addresses some sensitive issues (domestic violence and racism). I felt that the author handled them well, but I did feel the racism was overdone (mentioned quite often). There is a reading group guide at the end of the book. I do want to let readers know that the book contains violence and foul language (the language was completely unnecessary). I am giving The House on Harbor Hill 3 out of 5 stars (It was okay). This book was just not for me.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Delilah lives in her big house with her memories and the ghosts of her past. She has been living in the house for many years and in the course of that time she has been taking in women who need help; women who are trying to escape abusive situations. She knows from personal experience how debilitating it can be. The only other permanent resident of Harbor Hill is a groundskeeper and he is the son of one of her women. He has his own issues to deal with and he is perhaps in hiding.Delilah spies Tracey in town and just knows that she needs help. Tracey is reluctant to accept help as she wants to care for herself and her children on her own. She is hiding from an abusive husband but is having trouble keeping things together. Just when all seems lost Delilah’s offer of free housing seems to be the answer she needs but people in town warn her that Delilah may not bee as nice as she seems. She might even have committed a murder.As Tracey’s story unfolds in the present, Delilah’s takes the reader back to a past where women of color were there to serve, not to be the lady of the manor. But even the life of that lady can be one of servitude. As Delilah’s story comes forward, Tracey’s past comes in with all of the force of a gut punch.It’s hard to say you “enjoyed” a book that deals with such difficult subject matter as race relations, abuse and some really poor decision making in regards to women. But Ms. Stratton has created a very real world with well developed, very human characters that drew me in and kept me thinking about them long after I turned the last page.I felt quite involved in their stories and wanted to see them through to the end. This is my only mild complaint about the book – it ended and story lines wrapped up satisfactorily. But if you are the type of reader (like me) who wants more detail in regards to things you will not be fully satisfied. I still have questions. But I still have questions about Gone with the Wind so….All in all a good book dealing with complicated issues in a beautiful setting.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Set in the past and present, The House on Harbor Hill is a murder mystery that tackles the issues of racial prejudice and spousal abuse in the lives of two very different women...I started this book with only the above information from the blurb and found that the book was way more than just the story of two women. Yes, it is about abuse and prejudice but it is also about two strong women who learn to be strong and live again after going through theses issues. To me, the main character was Delilah. She was a 70ish black woman who owned Harbor Hill. She took in women, one at a time, that were down on their luck and needed help. She took an exception with Tracy because there were also 2 kids involved. Tracy was on the run from an abusive husband and trying to protect her children when Delilah asked her to live at Harbor Hill. This novel has a dual time line. One is present day and one is the 60s when Delilah is a maid and has to live through the prejudice of that time period. Through the story of the 60s, we learn why Delilah has become the person who opens her home to other women in need.This was a fantastic book about love and family - not just the family we were born with but the friends we learn to live as we go through our lives.